A man left a mare behind about a month ago and someone told me she looks to be pregnant and we are pretty sure now she is. I am taking care of the horse, but i just learned Mares in foal should NOT be on fescue?? ??? and i think all the grass out there is Fescue and she has been on it all this time. I don't have another pen to put her in that doesn't have fescue. what would be the best thing to do? ?? i was thinking of making a smaller pen and giving her hay and feed but i really don't have the money for 3 bays of hay a week, because i have 2 other horses i have to take care of this man left behind and there is no one where we live that can take them. it makes med mad he would put them AND us in this position. and there is no way to get ahold of him. since she has been on fescue all this time is it worth taking her off???
Surrender the mare to a rescue or the ASPCA. If you want to take care of this mare, then you have to pay for it. If you can't afford it, then surrendering is your best option . If you're worried what people will think of your surrendering an animal, simply state you couldn't care for it because of your other two. Just because you have one or two horses already doesn't mean that you are capable of taking on a third.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Now, for the fescue question: It is stated that a mare should be taken off fescue hay or grass 60 days before foaling. Source cited below.
Also some articles to prove you're right:
http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/article ... http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxi ... If you do intend to keep this mare you need a vet out ASAP for a pregnancy check and an overall health check. If she's just been dumped, who knows what else they did to her or haven't done for her, such as vaccinations and farrier care.
I do not think it is the F. itself that causes abortion it is a mold that can get on the seed heads.
I just bought pasture grass seeds and the seed man said that the newer seeds do not get it. I hope you will try to avoid being stuck with her because if she does have a foal neither of them would be worth much and a mare and a foal can be a real headache.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Were you boarding the horse? Or did you buy it. If it were just dumped on you and you cannot get in touch with the owner, you'd best send her down the road. If he leaves her there it would not take very long for you to put more into keeping her than she would be worth.
In our area people are giving horses away or taking them to the desert and turning them loose. Meat horses are worth about 14 cents a pound.
If the man did not make any arrangements to pay for her board maybe you could call the shelter and have them take her. Or tell them she is a stray and have them take her.
